The instant invention is in the field of ventilation systems for high-wattage light equipment, and particularly pertains to HMI arc lamps in the 12 thousand to 18 thousand watt range used primarily for illuminating theater sets and stages, and location lighting.
Arc lamps of this power produce an enormous amount of heat. At the same time, the arc lamp bulb itself must be cooled to a certain extent, or it will quickly burn out. Typically, the lamps bases must be maintained to no more than 280 degrees centigrade.
By providing a large fan or blower, amply-sized openings for air intake and exhaust, the lamps can be maintained sufficiently cooled to function for a long period before they finally burn out. However, the necessity of having large ventilation openings causes yet another problem. That problem is the necessity to trap the light at the ventilation opening so that harmful ultraviolet light does not escape the lamp housing and damage the eyes of personnel working around the lights.